TFXO01: AUSTRIAN AID TO TOTAL 67 MILLION DOLLARS

UNCLAS VIENNA 000072

SIPDIS

STATE FOR TF-1 AND EUR/AGS - VIKMANIS-KELLER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR EAID PGOV MOPS CASC XO AU
SUBJECT: TFXO01: AUSTRIAN AID TO TOTAL 67 MILLION DOLLARS
OVER THREE YEARS

REF: A. (A) VIENNA 39

B. (B) 04 VIENNA 4455

C. (C) 04 VIENNA 4440

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Austrian Aid to total USD 67 million
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1. Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel announced on January 9 that
Austrian assistance to the region of the Asian tsunami would
total 50 million Euros (USD 67 million at current exchange
rates) for 12 assistance projects. Speaking after a meeting
with representatives of federal, state and local governments
and the "social partners" (the employers' and workers'
chambers),Schuessel said the funds would come from all
levels of government. The federal gogernment would provide
34 million Euros, the states would provide 10 million Euros,
and local governments would give 6 million Euros. The focus
of the projects will be reconstruction. Projects include
construction of "SOS Children's Villages" for orphans in the
region; construction of hospitals; environmental assistance
projects; and reconstruction of water treatment facilities.

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Military and Civilian Deployments
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2. Austria has sent some 200 officials to provide
assistance, both for Austrian victims and for the countries
of the region. A military detachment of 77 people is
providing both water purification and de-mining assistance in
Sri Lanka. Austria is using a C-130 transport aircraft to
support its deployments. (Note: Austria has three C-130s,
which it uses primarily to support peacekeeping deployments
in the Balkans and the Golan Heights. Two are currently
undergoing scheduled maintenance. End note.)

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384 Austrians Still Missing
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3. The Foreign Ministry counts 384 Austrians with whom there
has been no contact. The MFA confirms eleven Austrians dead.
The MFA repatriated some 1,700 Austrians.
Brown